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Tired of the afternoon slump? These no-bake energy balls are your secret weapon! The combination of rolled oats and almond flour provides a fantastic source of complex carbohydrates. Unlike refined sugars that give you a quick spike and subsequent crash, these complex carbs are digested slowly, offering a steady release of energy to power you through your day, whether you’re hitting the gym, tackling your to-do list, or need a mid-morning pick-me-up.
Why this Recipe Rawks
I love a good snack that doubles as a treat and this energy balls recipe checks both those boxes. My friend, Erin, enjoyed these no-bake energy balls through her breastfeeding journey for a boost of healthy fat throughout the day (and night). I use them as a great pre-workout snack before I head out in a run. My kids have used them in their lunch boxes and as a quick afternoon snack. Here’s some benefits:
- Sustained energy release: Thanks to complex carbohydrates from oats and almond flour.
- Rich in healthy fats: Supporting brain health and promoting satiety from almond butter and coconut oil.
- Naturally sweetened: With pure maple syrup, a healthier alternative to refined sugars.
- Good source of fiber: Oats and almond flour contribute to digestive health.
- Plant-based power: A fantastic option for vegans and vegetarians.
- Convenient and portable: Perfect for on-the-go snacking.
- Customizable: Feel free to add other healthy ingredients like chia seeds, flax seeds, or dried fruit.
- Quick to make: This recipe takes five minutes to prep, then 30 minutes to chill.
Star Ingredients in No-Bake Energy Balls
There are four main ingredients for my energy balls recipe. They are easy to find in any grocery store. In fact, you might just need to shop your pantry!
- Rolled Oats: I turn rolled oats into oat flour for this recipe. If you already have oat flour on hand, then use a heaping 1/4 cup in place of the rolled oats.
- Almond Flour: Almond flour provides healthy fat and protein to this recipe.
- Almond Butter: On top of helping bind the no-bake energy balls together, almond butter provides more healthy fat.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: These add in natural energy from the caffeine in chocolate. Find one made from natural sweeteners and vegan to keep this recipe dairy-free.
Easy Ingredient Swaps
While the main ingredients for this recipe are listed above, there are a few more that take this snack to the next level, yet can be easily swapped if needed:
- Coconut oil: This is my favorite healthy fat to use, yet feel free to use the healthy fat of your choice. This helps bind the balls together, so if you omit it, then increase the amount of nut or seed butter you use.
- Maple syrup: A perfect simple sweetener. Swap with the natural sweetener of your choice.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a lovely flavor that turns these energy balls into a cookie dough-like taste experience.
- Sea salt: Helps balance out the sweetness. Omit if it’s already included in your nut or seed butter.
How to Make No-Bake Energy Balls
- First, I grind my oats into coarse flour in a blender or food processor. It doesn’t need to be super fine, and having a few oat-like pieces left is fine. Blitzing them also helps when making the balls. Mix in the almond flour — using a fine flour does cut down on the grittiness and help the balls bind together easily.
- Add the maple syrup and coconut oil ingredients to the food processor. You want everything well combined so they are easy to scoop out.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips to make the mixture easily roll into balls. I use a cookie scoop to shape the balls, yet you can use a regular spoon and roll by hand if you want; no need to use fancy tools!
How to Store Energy Balls
Store the no-bake energy balls in an air tight container or silicone freezer bag in freezer for several months. If you plan to eat them this week, you can store them in the fridge. I often double the recipe and freeze half.
Common Questions
Making your own energy balls is remarkably quick and effortlessly easy, providing a fantastic and readily available snack whenever your stomach signals the need for an immediate energy lift. These convenient no-bake energy bites typically boast a well-balanced macronutrient profile, combining sustaining protein, energy-providing carbohydrates, digestion-aiding fiber, and healthful fats. This nutritional synergy makes them the ideal and effective pick-me-up to power you through your day.
Energy balls primarily aim to provide a quick and sustained energy boost, relying heavily on carbohydrates from ingredients like oats and dried fruit, along with healthy fats. Protein levels are usually moderate. Protein balls, on the other hand, prioritize a high protein content, often through the addition of protein powder, nuts, and seeds, to support muscle recovery and satiety. While both are convenient snacks, energy balls are best for fueling activity, while protein balls are ideal for post-workout or increasing protein intake. The key difference lies in their dominant macronutrient focus: carbohydrates for energy balls and protein for protein balls.
Each one is 108 calories, and I usually eat two for a good snack. Two energy balls provide a total of 4 grams of protein, 14 grams of healthy fat and only 8 grams of sugar.
The rolled oats used in energy balls have already been treated to make them safe and reasonably digestible. .The rolled oats (old-fashioned or quick oats) commonly used are not truly “raw” in the sense of being completely unprocessed and potentially unsafe. Therefore, you can confidently consume them without further cooking in this type of no-bake snack.
More Plant-Based Snack Recipes
Need some more healthy snack inspiration? Check out my Snack Collection or explore the snack recipes below that you can make quickly and enjoy all week.
If you make these no-bake energy balls recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below. Your feedback helps me and all the readers in this community. And if you’re interested in more plant-based recipes (and exclusive content), sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
No-Bake Energy Balls
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, unrefined melted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp sea salt, unrefined to taste
- 2 tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place oats in food processor and process until ground. Transfer to a bowl and combine with almond flour.
- In a small bowl, stir together maple syrup, almond butter, coconut oil, vanilla and sea salt.
- Using a wooden spoon or hand mixer, combine the almond butter mixture with the dry ingredients. The mixture should be slightly sticky like cookie dough. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Roll into 9 small balls (or 18 mini balls). Freeze until firm on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge.
Equipment
Notes
- The energy balls will keep for several months in the freezer.
- Feel free to use the nut or seed butter of your choice. I sometimes use peanut butter for extra protein.
- Swap almond flour with oat flour or gluten-free, all-purpose flour.
- Need a chocolate-free option? Use dried fruit: raisins, apricots, cranberries or blueberries work great.
This was delicious and easy to make. I already had some oat flour in the pantry. I used sunflower butter and dried blueberries instead if the almond butter and chocolate chips. Now I have an easy access to a quick sweet treat in the freezer. I have made the original recipe as written, too. However, I learned my lesson and made sure to triple the recipe this time:-D
Yum!! Sounds like it turned out amazing, Alana!
I recently made these, added a scoop of vanilla protein powder and used mini chocolate chips. They taste just like raw cookie dough, so amazingly delicious! My daughter shared with coworkers and everyone agrees. Super easy and delicious. Will make again soon, thanks.
Yum! Great additions, Jessica! I’ll have to give that a try.
Made these with my toddler today. A fun and easy snack! Swapped the almond butter for peanut butter for a bit more protein.
Great idea, Olivia!
Would love to make these energy balls. I would need to substitute for the oats and almond ingredients. Would barley or buckwheat be an equivalent swap for the oats? I can use sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter. What is best to swap for the almond flour? If these swaps are made, how does it compare nutritionally to the original recipe?
Hi Liz! I haven’t tried the recipe with barley or buckwheat but you should definitely give it a go! Sunflower seed butter sounds like a great swap for almond butter. You could try sunflower seed flour or cashew flour for the almond flour. Unfortunately, I am unsure of the nutrition because it will depend on what substitutions you’re making!
I first found these on Rawk the Year and they were a staple for me while breastfeeding! So glad this recipe made it to the blog, it is a gem.
So happy to hear that these helped you during such an important time!